Ascent and Descent
by Zaratan
Summary: Shego's life, before, during, and after the comet, and how she went from normal teen, to hero, to villain. Part of the Bonnie's Curse universe.
1. Chapter 1

Disney owns, I don't. Life sucks. Well folks, the start of the Shego prequel is here. The life story, before, during, and after the comet, and her eventual descent into villainy. As well, be sure to check out Commander Argus' series, The Trinity Sitch. Action, adventure, romance, heartbreak, and healthy doses of smuff to boot!

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Ascent and Descent – Chapter 1

"ARRRGGGG!"

Susan stormed from her bathroom, her eyes livid as they scanned the hallway. Ensuring the towel wrapped around her was tight, she stormed down the hall, throwing open the first she came to.

"Henry, have you been going into my bathroom?"

Henry jumped, the comic book in his hands falling quickly to the floor. "Geez, don't you knock?"

Susan sneered slightly, crossing her arms over her chest. "If I thought there was a possibility of seeing you doing anything other than reading a comic book, I might. You didn't answer my question though, have you been going into my bathroom?"

Henry bent down, picking up the comic book, taking great care not to crease it further. "No, I haven't. Why would I want to?" Henry pushed the glasses further up on his nose, settling back down onto his bed. "Why don't you check on the others? Whatever you're missing, one of them probably took it."

Susan glanced around the room. She didn't think Henry would have anything to do with her favorite brush being missing, but she wasn't taking any chances. Especially with Jason due to pick her up shortly. She snorted derisively at the track pants and sweater that her brother was wearing, that he always seemed to be wearing, and wondered how she could possibly be related to such a scrawny nerd. "Just make sure you STAY out of my bathroom!"

She slammed his door behind her, and stalked down the hall to her next target. Throwing open the door, she noticed him sitting by his stereo, head phones on, unheedful of the wrath that was to befall him. She glanced around the room, noting the multitude of posters that adorned the walls, covering every square inch of wall space, giving the room a very dark feel. She moved behind him, noting he had changed his hair to blue this week, and made a note to keep her hair dye in her own room, where he couldn't get it if he changed his mind.

With his head bobbing back and forth, Susan waited till his head paused a moment before snatching the headphones right off his head, wincing as the loud, irritating music, a cross between nails on a chalkboard and a cat being strangled, suddenly filled the air.

"Hey… what's…"

Susan bent down closely. "Michael, have you been in my bathroom?"

Michael grabbed the headphones back quickly. "I've never gone in your bathroom."

Susan glared at him, her eyes narrowing. "Like you didn't steal a bottle of hair gel last week? Or how about my nail clippers a couple weeks ago. I want my brush back. NOW!"

"Geez, PMS much? I don't have your brush. Go talk to the Terrible Two. I'm sure they have it. They get into everything else."

She glared further at him, but he just put his headphones back on, ignoring her now. With a huff, she stormed out of the room, slamming yet another door behind her. She quickly went to the room of her youngest brothers, throwing open the door quickly, only to find the room empty. Tossing a few toys to the side in a vain effort to find what she was looking for, she began to grow frustrated. At seven, Will and Wendell got into everything, and even a lock on her bedroom door didn't keep them out.

Susan tramped to the top of the stairs, anger flowing through her. A blur of motion at the bottom of the stairs told her she had found her quarry. "WILL, WENDELL, I WANT MY BRUSH BACK NOW!"

Susan charged down the stairs, catching sight of the pair as they rounded the corner, past the living room. With her dressed only in a towel, she knew just where they were heading, and spurred herself to move faster. She caught up to them as Will was reaching for the doorknob to the front door, but the pair froze when they saw her standing there, her teeth clenched in fury.

"I want my brush back, you little monsters!"

Will and Wendell looked at each other, and a silent grin formed on their faces. Wendell, brush in hand, turned quickly to her. "Catch!"

He lobbed the brush high, and Susan reached quickly for it with both hands, stretching to catch it as it flew by her head.

Will quickly opened the door, but quickly turned and ran past her, surprising her. Wendell did the same, but grabbed her towel as he passed by, ripping it off her as he did. She spun quickly, watching them tear off down the hallway laughing, towel dragging on the floor behind them. Susan quickly covered herself as she yelled after them. "You little MONSTERS! WHEN I GET MY HANDS ON YOU…"

"Whoa…"

Susan's eyes widened greatly, and she turned quickly to see a very stunned Jason standing in the doorway, his hand raised as if to knock, though that was obviously the last thing on his mind at the moment. He stood frozen in place as his eyes locked onto her, and Susan moved quickly to cover up. "Ja… Jason… oh my God… I… I mean…"

Susan bolted quickly down the hallway as quickly as she could, certain that she wasn't moving fast enough, despite setting records that would have put track athletes to shame.

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Susan, fully dressed, made her way slowly down the stairs, her face bright red. A faint smile came to her face when she heard her parents voices, but that disappeared as she realized that Jason was also downstairs waiting for her. As she approached the living room, she could make out just what her parents were saying.

"… was completely unacceptable behavior! When your sister gets down here, you are going to apologize to her, as well as to Jason. Have you got me?"

The reply was synchronous, as it always was with the two of them. "Yes, Mom."

"You will be on your best behavior for Henry while we are gone. If he tells us you were up to any mischief…"

"We'll be good."

Susan entered the living room just as they finished nodding, and she blushed again when she saw Jason sitting on the couch, still obviously a little stunned, as he nursed a glass of water in his hands. She averted her gaze quickly before he looked up, turning to her parents.

Her father looked at the two boys, his displeasure evident. "I believe you boys have something to say to Jason and your sister?"

The twins looked back and forth between the two teens, their heads hung in shame. "We're sorry."

With a motion from their mother, the twins took off, heading quickly to their rooms. Henry dodged around them as he walked in, a slightly goofy grin on his face. "Did I miss something?"

"Nothing you need to worry about honey. Just let us know if the boys act up on you, all right?" Their mother moved quickly to Henry, pulling him in for a hug, and kissing him lightly on the forehead. "I'm so glad you're home for the holidays."

She did the same for Susan, smiling at her. "Don't let them spoil your fun tonight, dear. You have fun at your party."

Grabbing their coats, their father paused a moment. "Remember, we're at the office ballroom if you need to get a hold of us. As well, I have my cell phone with me for any emergencies. Our New Year's party should finish up at one, and make sure the boys are in bed by 8:30 tonight."

Henry began pushing them out the door, laughing slightly. "We'll be fine Dad. I've watched the twins before. It's not a big deal."

Susan quickly grabbed Jason's hand when her parents had pulled away, pulling him to the door quickly. "We're out of here too."

Henry chased quickly after them, as they rushed to the car. "You know the rules. Home by…"

"I got it, I got it."

Susan hopped into the passenger seat before her brother could embarrass her further, waiting as Jason hopped in himself, and it wasn't long before they were tearing off into town.

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Susan shivered slightly, and wondered if a dress had been the way to go, as it seemed to take forever for Jason's car to warm up. But she would be damned if she didn't plan on looking her best at her first real party. Freshmen didn't often get invited to these things, and knew it was only her relationship with Jason, a junior and star running back with the football team, that she was even going.

She glanced over at Jason, her first real boyfriend, and began to blush slightly. They had only been dating for a month now, and really hadn't planned on him seeing her like that for at least some time. She noticed him nervously glance over, quickly averting his gaze when he noticed her watching him.

Susan sighed, still blushing slightly. "It's all right to look at me you know. I am fully dressed."

Jason glanced back at her, and even in the dim light, she could see he was blushing as well. "It's not that. It's just… every time I look… I see… I mean…"

Susan looked away now, almost self-consciously. "Did… did you like what you saw?"

"No… I mean, I did… but I didn't… I mean, I've never… I've seen pictures, but that…" Jason's head hung as he realized he was babbling. "I just completely blew it, didn't I?"

"No… no, you didn't. I just… I didn't expect you to see me like that… that way at least."

Jason's eyes widened slightly, and his lips curled slightly into a grin. "So… you've thought about…"

"Let's not push it, shall we?" Susan chuckled lightly, feelingthe tension between them break. "Let's just go have a good time tonight first."

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Susan helped a shambling Jason up to the steps of his house, wondering just how stupid her boyfriend really was. She'd never had alcohol before tonight either, but she had used her judgment to know she shouldn't push it. Jason, however, had decided to join in on the football team's drinking contest, and had fallen out pretty early. Now, she had to drive him home herself, and borrow his car just to get home.

Jason stumbled to the right slightly, and Susan braced herself, bearing the weight as best she could. When they got to the door, she fumbled in his pocket for the keys, and heard him laugh.

"I thought we was waiting on that, but if you're ready…"

Susan glared up at him, contempt showing, and he quickly hung his head. "S'rry… I'm just bein stupid. But you are the best, you know that, right? What I ever do to deserve you?"

"Kinda wondering that myself right now." Susan made sure to keep her response to a mumble, noticing he hadn't heard her.

The door opened quickly, and Jason, who had been leaning some of his weight against it, quickly fell through, pulling Susan down with him. Looking up trepidatiously, Susan saw the look on Jason's mother, and quickly wondered if she could disentangle herself quickly enough.

Jason's mother looked both shocked and furious. "Just what the hell is this?"

"Umm… hi, Mrs. Taylor. I was…"

"Are you both drunk?"

Jason scrambled to his feet, seeming more somber than he had been a moment ago. "Susan is fine, she had nothing to do with it. Me and some of the guys…"

"I don't want to hear it. You'll get into this house right now, you are grounded!"

"Mom, I… OWW!"

Mrs. Taylor quickly grabbed him by and ear, pulling him inside. She turned back to Susan, still standing in the doorway and smiled lightly. "Do you have a way to get home, dear?"

"I… I was going to borrow Jason's car, just to get home, and then Jason…"

"Dear, do you have a license yet?"

Susan cast her eyes downward, looking sheepish. "I have a learner's permit."

Mrs. Taylor sighed. "Give me a minute dear, and I'll give you a ride home myself. You really shouldn't have driven here as it is."

Mrs. Taylor quickly dragged Jason further into the house, releasing him only when they hit the stairs, and she quickly grabbed her coat and purse. "You head right to your room. We'll discuss this with your father in the morning."

Closing the door quickly, Mrs. Taylor led Susan to her car, and they quickly pulled away.

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Susan was surprised to see a cop car in the front driveway, and Mrs. Taylor slowed the car to a crawl as she pulled up alongside it. Susan rushed out of the car as soon as it stopped, rushing to the entrance without a word to Jason's mother, barreling through the front door. Two police officers stood in the entryway, turning to look at her, their faces heavy. Glancing past them, she saw Henry and Michael. Michael looked stunned, but Henry had tears falling down his face, not even trying to hide his despair.

The first officer, a younger woman, stopped her quickly, and Susan looked at her with desperation. "What's going on? Why…"

"I'm… afraid there was an accident. A tractor trailer overturned downtown, and… I'm sorry, you're parents were hit."

"But… but they're all right, aren't they? I mean, they have to be all right!"

The officer's face fell further. "I'm sorry… there was nothing we could do for them."

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Author's Notes – Just to warn, this will get dark later on, as anyone who has read Redemption can attest to. Probably be at least 10 chapters, but I never can tell when it comes to these sorts of things.


	2. Chapter 2

Disney owns, I don't. Life sucks. Be sure to check out Tension, by Evolved. An amazing little Ron/Bon fic stuffed to the gills with smuff and smut! Make sure to check it out, though it is rated M, so no kiddies please.

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Ascent and Descent – Chapter 2

"Susan, you're coming to the game, aren't you?"

Susan tossed her books into her locker, smiling. "Of course I am. This is the Regional Championship! I wouldn't miss my man playing for anything!"

Brittany smiled as well. "Good, cause you've missed so many games since you're… I mean…"

"Just some stuff I had to take care of. My brothers are absolutely useless without me. I'll be there though."

"Good, cause Christy is going to be there, and she's been eyeing Jason when you haven't been around."

Susan slammed the locker a little more than she intended. "If that blond bimbo thinks she can steal Jason away from me, she has another thing coming. Besides, Jason wouldn't be interested in some air-headed cheerleader like that!"

Susan and Brittany quickly headed out to the field, laughing at various gossip they had heard about the members of the cheerleading squad, when Susan found herself slammed into a locker. Her eyes narrowed as she watched the small kid with glasses, as he frantically crawled on the floor, scooping up the various papers that had spilled from his arms.

"Watch where you're going, you loser!"

"I'm sorry, I just…"

"Did I give you permission to speak to me?"

The young man stared up at her wide-eyed. "I… I…"

Susan turned to her friend, sneering. "And there he goes again. He's just lucky we have to get to the game, or I'd really give him a piece of my mind!"

The two teens quickly left the boy on the floor, heading out to the field. Brittany was just shaking her head. "Can you believe how rude he was, bumping into you like that?"

"I know! No respect, whatsoever."

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Susan and Brittany were cheering madly as Jason ran the ball another twenty yards. Half time was approaching, and they were already up by seven on Westside. One short play later, Jason ran in for the touchdown, just as the whistle blew. The crowd leapt to their feet as Jason began to celebrate.

The team dashed back to the sidelines, and the cheerleaders began to perform, something that Susan wasn't too eager to watch. Brittany was still clapping madly when she turned to her friend. "Can you believe the game Jason is having? He's incredible!"

Susan just laughed, as she sat down. "I don't want you to be getting any thoughts on taking Jason from me."

"Wouldn't dream of it. Though maybe if he could introduce me to that really cute halfback… uh oh…"

"What?" Susan looked around, trying to find what drew her friend's attention.

"Umm… maybe we should go get some snacks or something…"

That was when Susan saw it. Christy, the blond cheerleader, had finished her routine, and dove straight into Jason's lap as he sat on the bench. She could see Jason trying to push her off, but she held on like a leech.

Susan rose quickly to her feet. "I'll be right back."

Brittany tried to stop her friend, but was too slow to catch her. Susan tore down the steps, running out to the sidelines. Christy had just gotten out of Jason's lap when Susan got there, and the smile on the cheerleader's face quickly disappeared when she saw the approaching freshman.

Susan didn't give her time to react, connecting quickly with a right cross that drove Christy to the ground. Susan quickly leapt on top of her, driving a knee into the girl's stomach. "Try to steal my boyfriend, will you? You stupid BITCH!"

Christy tried to fight back, but was pinned by Susan's weight, and the girl could only cry as Susan began to beat on her. Suddenly, Susan found herself airborne, as a pair of strong arms wrapped around her, pulling her away from the helpless girl.

"Let me at her, I'm going to KILL HER!"

"Susan… Susan, stop it!"

Susan realized quickly that it was Jason who had her, and relaxed a bit, no longer tearing to get at the girl who lay sobbing on the ground. The coach quickly approached, sizing up the situation. "Jason, you get your girlfriend to the office right now and get back here!"

Jason started heading there right away, mumbling apologies. When they were back to the school, he let her go, and Susan whirled quickly on him. "Why'd you pull me off her? That bitch was…"

"Susan, it doesn't matter. It's over! Why did you do that?"

"She was all over you! What was I supposed to do?"

Jason could feel his temper flaring slightly. "Yes, she went too far, but I don't think she deserved a beating like that! What has gotten into you?"

Susan's hands were clenched at her side, shaking. She looked close to hitting him, before she turned away, heading to the office herself. "Just go back to your blond bitch then if you think she didn't deserve it!"

"Susan… that's not… Susan!" Jason followed behind her, but she wasn't stopping. "Is that what this is about? You think I'd rather be with her than you?"

"Well you sure didn't fight all that hard when she sat in your lap."

"Because I didn't want to hurt her. If you would just listen to me for a second…"

Susan turned quickly, her eyes livid. "And listen to what?"

"That I don't want to be with her, that I WANT to be with you! Just because she's making eyes at me doesn't mean I'm going to jump in the sack with her. I just want to be with you!"

Susan seemed to deflate at that, as the rage seemed to melt off her. Slowly, after several moments, she closed her eyes, and her voice held none of the venom it did previously. "I… I'm sorry, okay? I just… when I saw her and… you were… I just…"

Jason stepped closer, wrapping his arms around her, and Susan started sobbing quietly. "I know, I'm sorry too. I mean, I love you and…"

Susan blinked, staring up at him wide-eyed. "You… you love me?"

Jason appeared a bit sheepish. "Well, yeah… I love you. But this isn't exactly how I planned on saying it to you. I was thinking… you know… like dinner or something."

Susan pressed herself harder against his chest, hugging him tightly. "I love you too! I just… after everything… I don't want to lose you! And she was…"

"Hey, it's all right. I'm not going anywhere."

They held each other for a few minutes, before they slowly pulled apart. Susan wiped a stray tear from her eye, smiling lightly. "Guess it's time for me to face the music, huh?"

"Yeah, but don't worry too much. I mean, what are they going to do?"

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"THREE DAYS?"

Principal Greene just stared at Susan, until she finally sat down. "I'm afraid it's one of the only recourses I have right now. This is the third time this month you've gotten into a confrontation, and you need to learn that this behavior is not acceptable. As well, when you return, you'll be sent to talk with a grief and anger counselor."

"WHAT? Why would I need…"

"Miss Go, you obviously have not dealt well with your parents death, and this behavior is one of the symptoms. As well, if you don't attend these sessions, we'll have to consider… other alternatives. Alternatives that might not work so well in your favour."

"But… but, I mean…"

"That is all Miss Go!"

Susan could only stare at the man, her mind awhirl for what this meant, before she slowly rose from her seat, mumbling quietly under her breath as she left his office.

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She slammed the door behind her when she got home, and felt a brief flash of relief as she dropped her bag to the floor. That relief vanished when Henry came out to meet her.

"Where have you been? It was your turn to do supper, and you're at a football game, getting into fights? I talked with the principal!"

"Look, I don't have the time or energy to get into this. Just order pizza already!"

Henry crossed his arms over his chest, blocking her way. "That's not the point. We all have responsibilities to take care of, and you neglected yours! Now you're suspended from school, so I expect you to pick up a lot of the slack over the next few days."

"Who the hell do you think you are?" Susan stepped right up to his face, glaring at him. "I do more than my fair share around here, so who the hell do you think you are?"

"Well, I'm the one who has to take care of this family now, so you'll listen to what I have to say!"

Susan just rolled her eyes. "Oh yeah, the big man. Well, I have a life you know. I'm not some maid for you to boss around. I have a boyfriend, and friends, and a life outside this house. Oh, I'm sorry, that's something you wouldn't know anything about, is it, with your head stuck in a comic book all day!"

"I gave up college to come back here and take care of everyone, so don't start lecturing me on sacrifices! If I hadn't, you'd be going to some foster parent. Do you want that?"

"Well, it would probably be a hell of a lot better than putting up with your crap every day!"

"My crap? I have to work everyday, going to dad's office, to the company he ran for years, just to keep us going! You think we have money to burn? That's because I'm working my ass off here! And what are you doing? Nothing! You just act like a spoiled little bitch! You might have been able to get away with that when Mom and Dad were alive, but…"

He never saw Susan's fist as it connected with his jaw, and the next thing he knew, Susan was standing over him, fire alight in her eyes. "Don't you EVER call me a bitch again, got it? And don't you dare bring Mom and Dad into this!"

They stared at each other for some time, refusing to look away or even blink, until they heard a small voice behind them. "Do you guys have to fight?"

They both turned in time to see a very scared Wendell and Will, looking down at them from the stairs, huddling up against the wall, tears running down their cheeks. Susan blanched at the sight, and quickly shot past them and up to her room.

Michael came out of his room a few moments later, noticing Henry on the floor. "Supper ready yet?"

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Susan started at the knock at her door, but refused to respond. When the door opened, she almost leapt her feet, ready to beat on the person stupid enough to enter without an invitation. "What the hell do you want?"

Michael just smiled, and held up a pizza box. "Figured you'd want something to eat. I think I got what you liked."

Susan just huffed slightly, grabbing the box quickly. "Thanks."

Michael remained standing there, and Susan just eyed him, wondering what else he wanted. "So… this going to keep going?"

Susan stuffed half the slice into her mouth, swallowing quickly. "What?"

"The fighting between you and Henry. The twins are starting to get freaked out by it, you know. Especially when you guys start in on foster homes and all that."

Susan dropped the slice back into the box, groaning slightly. "Yeah, they would, wouldn't they?"

"Wouldn't hurt to talk to them you know, let them know they're not going to get separated or something."

Susan sighed, closing up the box. "They gone to bed yet?"

Michael just shrugged. "They went to their room, don't know if they're asleep or not. Wouldn't hurt to check."

Susan got up, making her way to the door. She paused when she got to Michael. "Why do you care all of a sudden anyways?"

Michael just laughed. "Hey, I get you guys to stop yelling, and the twins settled down, I can go back to listening to my music in peace. Even with headphones, I can hear you guys clearly. It's really quite annoying!"

Susan quickly swatted him, and he left the room with a chuckle. She made her way to the twin's room, opening the door carefully and quietly, looking in on them. Both of them seemed to be lying there, fast asleep, so she started to close the door.

"Susan?"

She stuck her head in, noting it was William sitting up. She lowered her voice to a whisper, hoping not to wake the other one up. "I didn't mean to wake you. Go back to sleep."

"Susan… are we going to go to foster homes?"

Susan sighed, and slipped in the door, moving quickly to Will's bed. She sat down beside him, and he quickly moved to hold onto her, something she had never really been comfortable with. "No, we're not going to go to foster homes. Henry and I were just fighting. We didn't mean it."

"But you guys didn't fight like this before?" Wendell was now sitting up.

"I know, and I'm sorry guys, but I promise, nothing is going to happen. We'll be fine."

"But what if there's another accident, like Mommy and Daddy? What would happen then?"

Susan felt a brief pain when they mentioned that, and knew it had hit them hard, harder then even the two of them, at seven, showed. "I can't promise that nothing like that won't happen again. But it was an accident. Just remember, me and Henry and even Michael love you guys a lot, and we won't let anything happen."

Wendell hopped out of bed, and threw himself at Susan. She sidled over, giving herself and the twins room, and she held them in her arms as they cried. When she felt them settling down, she craned her head down, kissing them gently on their foreheads. She softly whispered to them, not even sure what she was saying, until she felt them drift off to sleep. When she was satisfied that they would finally sleep peacefully, she allowed her own eyes to close, and slowly drifted off herself.

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Author's Notes – Next chapter… fate comes a knockin'!


	3. Chapter 3

Disney owns, I don't. Life sucks. Be sure to check out Dartblade's Kim Possible Old Enemies, an interesting tale, and also my first immortilization in the realm of fan fiction. Tell me THAT isn't cool!

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Ascent and Descent – Chapter 3

Henry stared blankly at the sheet of paper in his hands, trying to make heads or tails of what was on the sheet. First year of business school did not prepare one for running a major company, like Go Enterprises, as much as he hoped it would have. He sighed, turning his chair to look out the window.

It was the tallest office building in the entire city, and his father had been very proud of it when it had been constructed. Eleven hundred feet tall, seventy-five stories, he had watched it being built when he was a child. Then, it had been so amazing, the fact that it was his father that had built it. When it was done, they had gone to the very top, looking out over the city through the windows, and he couldn't help wondering if he had the coolest dad on the planet. Back then, it seemed so simple; if his dad wanted to do something, he did it. Now though…

Henry turned back to the stack of books and papers on his desk, wondering just how dad had managed to get anything done, and still have time for his family like he did. Accounting needed figures on a thousand different projects, trying to shave costs where they could, while R&D were begging for more money. Personnel requisition forms, cost overrun authorizations, manufacturing schedule adherence, it all made his head spin with the sheer volume of it all.

Henry sank into the chair, trying hard to clear his mind, even for a moment. Six months, and he still didn't have a handle on everything. More and more, he had to turn to others to help him. He looked over at the clock, noting quickly the time, and wondered who would still be in. Most of the staff had the day off, it being Independence Day, but he thought he'd be able to come in and catch up on some work before he went home to celebrate with the rest of the kids. Wanting to take care of this quickly, having promised them a barbeque dinner before the fireworks began, he dialed the number, and hoped they'd be in.

Henry almost sighed in relief when he got a response. "Thompson!"

"Hello Mr. Thompson, it's Henry. I was wondering if you had a moment to help me out with a couple things up here."

"Certainly Henry, I'll be there in a moment. I'll even bring my assistant down with me, I'd like to get his feet wet on a few things. Give us five minutes."

Henry hung up the phone, relieved that he had someone he could trust to help him out. A knock at the door a few minutes later, and Henry smiled for the first time that day. The door opened, revealing an older gentleman, with a younger man trailing behind. He remembered John Thompson well from when he was growing up, when he'd visit his father at work. The older man was always happy to share a joke, or have something for him as a treat. He shook the man's hand when he came in, smiling broadly.

"Thanks for all your help Mr. Thompson."

"Henry, how many times do I have to tell you, call me John! Oh, I don't think you've met my assistant yet, have you? Henry Go, meet Vincent Wheeler."

The younger man just smiled, taking Henry's hand and shaking vigorously. "Please, please, call me Vinnie! And it is honour to meet you sir!"

John wrapped an arm across Henry's shoulders, turning him back to the desk. "Maybe we should get to work, so we can get out of here. After all, my wife wants to see me sometime tonight, and I'm sure the rest of the gang wants you home as well. Now, tell me what you need help with."

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Henry felt the anxiety washing away from him as he approached the house. It had taken a couple hours, but they had managed to get everything done that they needed to do. Now, he was just going to take the day and relax. Throw the grill on, cook up dinner, and watch the fireworks like the rest of the gang was doing.

He knew the last six months had been tough on all of them. Susan was acting up in school, and her grades had begun to slip in the second semester. Michael was walling himself in his room most of the time, and while he had done that quite often before, it just seemed more pronounced now. And the twins were still having nightmares, though not as bad as before. This would be the first time they'd really tried to get together to relax and have fun, and he knew they all needed it.

He pulled up into the drive, watching as Will and Wendell ran right up to the car, excitement alight on their faces. He couldn't even get out of the car before they were grabbing at him, tugging him around the back.

"Come on, come on, Susan wouldn't let us start without you!"

Henry just laughed, enjoying their enthusiasm, something that had been far too rare lately. "Guys, will you let me get changed first? It's hot out here, and a suit is not the best thing to relax in."

They reluctantly relented, and ran to the backyard to announce that their brother was finally home. He quickly went to his room, changing into shorts and a t-shirt, before heading out to the back. The twins were running about, chasing after this and that, stopping every so often to examine something or other. At seven, they were intensely curious about everything, and had plenty of energy. He noticed Susan by the barbeque, dressed only in shorts and a bikini top, setting out various things for the barbeque. She must have been preparing them while he was out, because he noticed the carefully wrapped baked potatoes, and the seasoned steaks and burgers as he got closer. She smiled lightly as she heard him approach.

"Jason couldn't make it over tonight?"

Susan grimaced slightly. "His family decided to take him to the cottage with them at the last minute. He couldn't get out of it."

Henry glanced around again. "And where's Michael? I thought he was going to come out of his room to join us."

Susan pointed up to the treehouse, giving a bit of a smirk. "He's up there. I… convinced him to come outside with us, but figured it didn't hurt if he stuck to himself up there until the food is ready. Kept him from being too annoying anyways."

"You going for a swim?"

Susan shrugged. "Figured I'd grab one while you cooked, it's pretty hot today. Sides, I got all this ready, least you can do is cook it."

Henry gave a little smirk, knowing this was probably the best he was going to get along with his little sister, and decided to claim it as a victory. If she was only going to be slightly snarky, he could live with that and not bait her too much. "See if the twins want to go for a swim too, work off some of their energy. I should have this ready soon enough."

"Remember, I like my steak medium-rare. Mine's the one on the top there."

"I got it, I got it. Go, swim already."

He watched as Susan headed over to the pool, grabbing the twins on her way. Turning back to the grill, he started it up, letting it warm up as he took a deep breath. The sun was shining overhead, with just the occasional cloud drifting by. A light breeze kept it from getting too stuffy, and carried the scent of other barbeques from the neighbors. He closed his eyes, savoring all the little things he had forgotten while dealing with everything the last little while, and began to feel the tension lifting. It had been hard, but it looked like they might just get through everything they had gone through after all.

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Dinner went nicely, with the twins talking up a storm. Even Michael was chatting a bit, and that was always a good sign. Henry polished off his food quickly, settling back to enjoy that full feeling after a really good meal. The twins, content in their games, had scampered off, and Michael had returned to the tree house, leaving him and Susan sitting at the table.

Henry looked over at his sister, noting her eyes close as a semi-cool breeze washed over them. "Thanks for helping out Susan."

"Yeah, whatever. It never would have got done right otherwise if I hadn't."

"I don't just mean for tonight, I mean… for everything. For stepping up and helping out like you have. I know I haven't always been the easiest person to deal with lately, what with what's gone on, so… thanks."

She opened her eyes, looking over at him with what could only be described as a mixture of confusion and amusement. "You're not going all sappy on me, are you? Because I might just have to hit you if you do."

Henry smiled, leaning back further in his chair. "Nope, that's all the sap I got."

"Good. And… I guess… thank you too."

Henry looked over at her, amusement evident. "Thank you for what?"

Susan glared at him. "You're going to make me say it, and ruin this nice, fight-free evening we've been having, aren't you?" Her expression softened slightly when she could see that there was no trace of gloating in his expression. "Thank you for… you know… keeping us all together and all that… even if I can't stand you guys half the time."

"See, now was that so hard?"

"You tell anyone we had this conversation, I will beat you severely, you got me?"

Henry just nodded his assent, leaning back in the chair again. Susan reached for the pitcher of juice, noting it was empty. "I'll be right back."

Henry watched her grab the jug, heading back into the kitchen to get more. He watched as the two twins climbed into the tree house, obviously intent on harassing their brother, and he smiled broadly as he heard their brother respond, even from this distance.

"Isn't it a bit early for fireworks?"

Henry turned at his sister's voice, watching her gaze to see where she was looking. "Yeah, they aren't supposed to start for at least a couple more hours. It's too… what is that?"

Both teens gazed upwards, noting the strange, glowing object in the sky that seemed to be getting closer. It was hard to make out just what colour it was, the patterns seemed to change almost randomly. He did note that, whatever it was, it seemed to be heading right for them.

Not knowing how long they had, Henry turned and ran for the tree house, Susan following swiftly and silently behind him. "Michael, Will, Wendell, get out of there now!"

The twins stuck their heads, trying to look innocent. "We're just having fun!"

Henry reached the bottom of the ladder, glancing at the rapidly approaching object. "You have to get out of there NOW! Get Michael, hurry!"

They quickly noted just how scared their brother, and even their sister, appeared, and quickly grabbed Michael. The elder brother began climbing down, glancing skyward to where his sister was looking, and quickly dropped to the ground. They could make out the details of what it was, though the colours still seemed to almost twist around it. The twins were next, and they quickly jumped down, rolling on the ground.

Michael had already started to run, as Susan and Henry grabbed one of the youngest boys each, running as far as they could. Henry could feel the heat at his back, and knew they weren't nearly far enough away. A tremendous crash sounded behind them, and Henry could feel the impact through his feet, as he suddenly found himself tossed in the air, clutching Will or Wendell, he wasn't even sure which, closer to himself, trying to shield the young boy. He hit the ground hard, as a wave of heat passed over him, followed by an almost chilling cold, which barely registered in his addled mind other than it was something that shouldn't have been there. He felt himself tossed bodily by the wave, until his back struck the wall of the house, causing him to cry out, the sound lost in the overall cacophony.

Suddenly, the wave was gone, the pressure no longer pinning him to the wall, and he hit the ground again. Darkness tinged his senses, as he struggled futilely to remain awake, his eyes searching desperately for his siblings, relieved that he could still feel brother's chest moving in his arms. Smoke and debris littered the area, as he struggled to spot any sign of his sister or brothers, and he coughed as the smoke irritated his lungs. Every muscle in his body was aching, feeling like his very body was on fire, and he wondered if he'd be able to maintain awareness for very long. He struggled to his knees before collapsing back down, his eyes drifting briefly over the form of his sister before he finally succumbed to the darkness he had been battling for what seemed forever.

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Author's Notes - Be sure to check my profile for the website to the Fannie Awards, the annual Kim Possible fan fiction awards. Make your selections for such awards as Best Writer and Best Story, and a host of others. Hosted by mattb3671 and myself, with the website designed and run by Commander Argus, it's sure to be an amazing thing. Show your support, vote today!


	4. Chapter 4

Disney owns, I don't. Life sucks. Check out Her Mission, by pbow, definitely an interesting read for sure!

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Ascent and Descent – Chapter 4

Susan awoke to darkness and heat, and bolted up quickly, terrified at what she would see. Her eyes adjusted quickly, and she scanned about her for her brothers, certain that they must be lying nearby. Instead, she saw the cold, sterile walls of a hospital room surrounding her.

She took a breath, calming down momentarily, before she noticed the large cast on her arm. Hefting it gently, she looked at it, as if fascinated by the very sight of it. Her gaze traveled to her other arm, noticing the IV tube, and following it to the bag of fluid hanging from the pole.

The door opened, and Susan blinked at the brightness that suddenly caught her, blinding her. The lights flipped on, bathing the room in light.

"Think you could give me some warning before you do that?"

The nurse nodded, though Susan didn't see it. "Sorry about that Ms. Go, but I have to check you out before you move too much."

Susan lowered her hand, still blinking in the harsh light. "I'm feeling fine, a little warm maybe. What about my brothers, are they okay?"

"Michael had a few scratches and cuts, but he had managed to dive behind something. He was largely protected. And I'm not sure how, but William and Wendell are fine. We think you and Henry managed to protect them from the worst of it when you shielded them with your bodies. You should be fine as well, a minor concussion and a broken arm, though we were worried when you didn't wake up right away."

"Wake up right away? What do you mean?"

"You've been here for three days now, and…"

"WHAT?"

The nurse laid a restraining hand on Susan, trying to get her to lie back down. "It's all right. Your brothers are just in the next room sleeping, you can see them in the morning."

Susan tried to push back, but the nurse had the leverage on her, and Susan found herself lying back on the bed. After a moment, she gave up the struggle, and the nurse released her. "What about Henry, you didn't say anything about him."

The nurse looked away for a moment, but Susan caught the motion. "He's still being treated I'm afraid. Something about his condition…"

"I want to see him!"

"I don't think that would be wise…"

Susan leapt up quickly, glaring quickly at the nurse, who backed off quickly. "I'm going to go see my brother. Where is he?"

"Ro…room 427… a… a couple floors down."

Susan quickly bolted from the room, the IV forgotten as it was yanked from her arm, the stand and bag clattering to the floor. The nurse stared after her, trembling. For a moment, just a moment, it looked like green flames had encased the girl's hands. She shook it off quickly as a trick of the light, and went to the phone, calling the fourth floor to warn them that she was coming.

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Susan pushed through the opening elevator doors, ignoring the cast as she used it to leverage herself out of the elevator faster. Pausing only to check the sign indicating room numbers, she bolted down the hallway, glancing left and right to try and find Henry's room. She started past one room with observation windows when she noticed the room number.

427…

She looked back through the window, really noticing the patient lying within. It looked nothing like Henry. Strapped down securely across the arms, chest, and legs, this looked more like a body builder than her scrawny big brother. His chest and arms were huge! The hospital gown he wore accentuated all of the muscles, as if the gown they had dressed him in was several sizes too small. She scanned closer through the pale light, and gasped as she could make out the features of his face. It was Henry!

Susan's hand flew to her mouth as Henry suddenly bucked under the restraints, his chest heaving, his back arching in agony. Susan reached for the door handle when a hand landed on her shoulder.

"I wouldn't go in there if I was you."

Susan whirled quickly, looking up at the doctor who only looked at her forlornly. "Why can't I go in there?"

"You might get hurt. The first time it happened… let's just say, he put two of our nurses into emergency."

Susan glanced back through the window, watching as his muscles visibly rippled and twisted. "But he's in agony! Can't you do something?"

"We are doing everything we can, but we've never seen anything like this! I'm Doctor Franklin, please… come with me, and I'll tell you everything."

Susan looked back at her brother, a small tear threatening to escape. Slowly, the doctor led her back to his office, sitting her down in the chair. He went to the water cooler, pouring her a drink, before taking a seat on his desk, leaning down towards her.

"How are you feeling?"

Susan downed the drink quickly before glaring up at the doctor. "I'm pissed, I'm scared, and I'm freaked out that I've been unconscious for three days, only to find my brother like that. How do you think I feel? And do you have to keep your office so warm, it's like a sauna in here?"

The doctor gave her a moment to settle down before he continued. "Those are all perfectly normal reactions to what has happened to you. Can you tell me, what's the last thing you remember?"

Susan cast her eyes downward, her hands gripping the seat handles tightly. "We were having a barbeque… we were having fun, and then… this light, in the sky… it was coming closer. Me and Henry grabbed the twins and tried to run… after that, it's all a bit of a blur."

"It was a comet, or a small fragment of one anyways."

"A… a comet?"

The doctor rose, grabbing a small remote off the table. "Your security system caught the incident on tape, catching the motion of the comet's descent." He hit play, and the screen lit up. Susan watched as the camera shifted quickly, catching the comet's entry. She winced as it struck the tree house directly and the tree shattered, before the screen went fuzzy. She was shaking when the doctor turned off the tape. "It cut off there, when the explosion disabled the camera. When it hit, it created quite a stir, and that's how we found you. We haven't found any trace of the comet though, it seems to have disintegrated on impact."

"That comet… it looked…"

"Strange? We know. We're not sure what it was that caused that kind of a visual effect. What we do know is that it released some kind of localized radiation burst, one that affected all of you. It doesn't seem to have affected Michael or your younger brothers that greatly, they seem to be fine. But you and Henry… well, you saw Henry."

Susan glanced up scared. "What… what will it do to us, to me? If it's doing that to Henry…"

"We don't know yet, that's why your brothers are still here, under observation. We want to make sure there are no lingering effects from what might have happened. We haven't even been able to isolate the radiation you were bombarded by, so we have no idea how this might affect each of you. But you have to remain calm, we are doing everything we can to help you all."

Susan rose quickly, surprising him. "If you don't know what we got hit with, how can you help us?"

"We need to find out what is happening, or it might get worse. Henry might only be the first. We will find what is happening, I promise you! Now, I think you should rest, your body has been through a lot! Get some sleep, I can answer all your questions in the morning."

"But…"

"Rest." He placed his hand on her shoulder. "I know your brothers will be anxious to see you up and about in the morning."

Susan grudgingly rose and, after casting one last look back at the doctor, left quietly, shutting the door behind her. The doctor cast one last glance at the door, his smile fading, before sitting back down behind his desk. Picking up the phone, he dialed a number from memory, and waited for the connection. It was picked up quickly.

"Yes Director, I'm continuing the analysis… no, I haven't noticed any of the same deleterious mental effects… Understood. We are still monitoring the eldest, he hasn't awoken yet… It is possible, that due to their age, their bodies were better able to integrate the radiation. Was any trace recovered at the scene?… No, of course, I understand. The blood samples also turned up negative once the sample was removed from the body. It appears a living incubator is required for the radiation to stabilize… Understood, Franklin out."

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Susan awoke quickly when she heard the door to her room open, and saw the surprised looks on the faces of Will and Wendell. In an instant, they were on her, almost knocking her out of the bed in their enthusiasm to be the first to hug her.

"You're awake! You're awake!"

Susan tried to get a little breathing room, without tossing them across the room, and just smiled. "Glad to see you little monsters too. They been treating you good in here?"

"Yeah, they give us all the jello we can eat, and…"

"… let us race in the wheelchairs when it's not busy!"

Susan held tight to the twins, making sure not to press too hard with the cast on her arm. She glanced up and saw Michael standing in the doorway, leaning against the frame.

"Hey."

He nodded, smirking at the scene. "Hey. You seen Henry yet?"

"This morning… or last night… whenever I woke up. You okay, you don't look so good?"

He stood up straighter, puzzled. "What do you mean?"

Susan shrugged as best she could. "I don't know, must be the lights in here, you look a little… I don't know."

Michael shrugged nonchalantly. "I feel fine."

"And how are my favourite patients this morning?"

The twins turned smiling towards the door, while Michael just turned his head. "Fine Dr. Franklin."

Will jumped from the bed to stand before the Doctor. "Dr. Franklin, Dr. Franklin, how's Henry doing?"

Doctor Franklin smiled. "I have some very good news, it looks like he stabilized a few hours ago. His muscle contractions and rapid growth have slowed immensely, and his vitals are returning to normal. We think he might wake up any time now. Now, I really should check your sister out, to make sure she's feeling fine."

"I'm feeling fine doc, nothing to worry about here. I want to hear more about this radiation you were talking about, and what it might do to us."

Doctor Franklin entered the room smiling. "In a moment. First, I want to check the injury from last night. You might not have noticed it in your haste, but the nurse did have to put a bandage on it and clean you up last night from when you pulled out your IV like that. That was incredibly dangerous you know."

Susan just shrugged, lifting her arm for him to look at. "I'm fine, barely hurt."

Franklin pulled back the bandage, and taking a swab from his pocket, gently dabbed at the dried blood. "Still, it's always good to… this… is where the IV was, wasn't it?"

Susan just smirked. "I would think so, they couldn't very well have put it on the other arm with the cast there, now could they?"

Doctor Franklin dabbed again, before moving the light closer to her arm, looking closely. "This… this is remarkable, there's not even a mark!"

Susan twisted her arm slightly so she could see, her eyes wide. "Well, I mean… it wasn't that bad to begin with. Maybe it just healed, you know?"

"Not this quickly though. You said your other arm wasn't bugging you either last night. Can you flex your muscles under the cast for me, and tell me what you feel?"

Susan squeezed her hand tight, feeling the muscles of her arm tensing, but felt no pain or discomfort at all. "Like I said doc, it feels fine."

Doctor Franklin rose quickly, moving to the phone. "Yes, X-ray, I need a room now, have you got anything for me?… Thanks." He put the phone down, turning back to Susan. "I think we should take another X-ray of that arm."

"Sure, whatever you think is best." Susan rose, casting a last look over her brothers, before turning and following the doctor out of the room.

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"This… this is remarkable! I've never seen healing at this rate before."

Susan just rolled her eyes slightly. "Oh come on, so I'm a fast healer. It couldn't have been that bad if…"

"You had a triple facture of the radius. We considered putting a plate in your arm to help strengthen it for healing, but decided against it. We weren't sure how your body would react to the foreign object in your system at this time. Now… your arm is completely healed! There isn't even a scar on the bone to indicate where the fractures occurred."

"But that's not possible… is it?"

"I think this might be a side effect of the radiation exposure, but we'll have to run further tests to be sure. For now, just go back to your room, and spend time with your brothers. A nurse will be by later to remove the cast, since you won't need it any further. And we'll let you know the minute Henry wakes up."

Susan just rubbed the cast on her arm, looking down at it. "Sure Doc… thanks."

She left his office, and he rose to close the door behind her. Quickly, he returned to his desk, dialing a very familiar number. "Yes ma'am, I know I just reported in, but the girl… she's already displaying abilities… Rapid healing… Understood. I'll report in immediately if any of the others begin displaying… Thank you Doctor Director!"

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Susan re-entered her room to find Michael lounging on the bed, flipping through television stations, while Will and Wendell polished off a tray of food in front of them. Seeing the food, her stomach grumbled.

"Did they bring my breakfast?"

Will and Wendell looked up sheepishly, before glancing at the tray in front of them.

"We're sorry…"

"… but we were still hungry!"

Susan glared at them, but her expression softened. "I'll just have to go to the cafeteria then. Probably better food anyways down there."

Michael glanced over briefly, his channel surfing uninterrupted. "So what did the Doc say?"

"Apparently…" Susan snatched the remote from him, turning off the television to his dismay, "… I heal very fast. They're taking the cast off later, since I don't need it anymore. Now, you guys are going to come down to breakfast with me, and we're going to get some decent food into you."

Michael grudgingly rose. "Fine, whatever. And you're right about the light in this place, you look a little green to me. Wonder what it is that's causing it."

Susan glanced down at her arm, as if noticing for the first time. "I guess I do look a little paler than I usually do. So much for that tan I had been working on, I'll have to start all over again. Just let me brush my hair, and we'll get going. Someone DID get me a brush, didn't they?"

Susan glanced between them before groaning. "Fine, let me see if they have anything here." She walked into the bathroom, turning on the light. To her surprise, there was a brush sitting on the edge of the sink, so she grabbed it and began working the knots out of her hair. She paused as she looked more closely at her reflection.

_I am a lot more pale than I should be, no way I could have lost this much colour in just three days… and I do look a little… green, don't I?_

Giving her head a quick shake, Susan finished brushing her hair, before joining her brothers for breakfast.

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Author's Notes – Wow, I'm really delaying on the updates lately, aren't I? Sorry about that folks, I'll try to get them out faster.


	5. Chapter 5

Disney owns, I don't. Life sucks. Make sure to check out Yuri Sisteble's Team Stop. It was an idea of mine, but I didn't think it fair to try and start another story just now. So when Yuri volunteered, and then showed me the first few chapters (which you must check out as he updates), I knew my faith was well placed. He took the idea, and made it his own, and has so far exceeded my wildest expectations for it! Besides, it's MrDrP approved, and you know that means it's good! ;)

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Ascent and Descent – Chapter 5

Every muscle in Henry's body ached, as he slowly awoke. His eyes felt heavy, and leaden, and it was all he could do just to crack them open slightly. He felt a hand on his arm, but it didn't feel right, almost like it was barely brushing him, yet he could tell the whole hand was pressed on him. "Wh… wh…"

"Don't try to talk yet. Rest a moment, get your strength back."

Henry turned his head, grimacing at the pain involved. He tried opening his eyes, and saw a kindly, older man beside him. "Where…"

"You're in the hospital. I'm Doctor Franklin. Do you remember what happened to you?"

Henry's eyes shut again, as he tried hard to remember. "There… there was a flash… something… something fell… from the sky?"

"That's right. It was a comet, or so we think."

Henry tried to sit up quickly, only to find himself strapped down. "Wendell, William… are they… I tried to get them away…"

"You're brothers are fine, and so is your sister." Doctor Franklin, placed a hand on Henry's shoulder, but the teen barely felt it. "Everyone else is fine, it's you we're worried about right now."

Tears flooded Henry's eyes, as he sank back down. "They're fine? They're really fine?"

"Yes, they are, and once we check you out and make sure you are as well, you'll be able to see them. We've been keeping them for observation, and we'd like to keep you for a few more days as well, just to make sure there are no other problems."

Henry's eyes widened at that. "Problems?"

Doctor Franklin sighed. "The comet released some sort of radiation that we haven't been able to identify. It has had some… physiological effects on all of you, but you most especially."

Henry didn't want to ask, but he couldn't stop himself. "How…"

You've experienced accelerated muscle and tissue growth over the last few days, and we have no way to explain what happens. It doesn't appear to be life threatening at this point, now that you are out of the woods, but we will have to monitor the situation closely. Tell me, do you feel any pain or discomfort?"

"I ache all over, but I don't really hurt. Doc… this isn't exactly a restraint over my chest, is it."

Doctor Franklin followed Henry's gaze down to the young man's chest. They had measured it once the growth had stopped, and the young man's chest had almost tripled in size from his original proportions. "No, it isn't. Like I said, you have experienced some muscular growth, and that's probably why you ache all over. If you'd like, we can give you some additional pain killers, but I am leery to do that yet. We're not certain how your physiology would handle it right now. Is it bearable?"

"I guess. Any chance you can take the restraints off?"

"No problem. Mind answering a few questions while I do that?"

"Sure thing Doc, whatever you say."

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Susan and Michael could only watch in awe as Will and Wendell tore through their food like they hadn't eaten in weeks, despite the fact they had already had their breakfast, as well as hers. They were polishing off their third plate of pancakes each, and Susan had decided enough was enough. "All right guys, this is your last plate. I don't have that much money on me right now, at least not till I find an ATM machine."

"Sorry, we're just…"

"… very, very hungry."

Michael just picked at his breakfast burrito, glancing over at Susan. "I hope those two get out of this sharing sentences thing. It gets very annoying."

Susan sipped at her coffee, wincing at the strong brew that not even four sugars were able to soften. "So long as they don't start dating the same girl, I don't really care."

Both twins looked up, the disgust clearly showing on their young faces. "EWWWWW! Why would we ever want to get cooties?"

Susan laughed at the stereo effect, and took another sip. "Happy now, now their not sharing."

Michael just shook his head, and resumed picking at his burrito.

A commotion behind them made them all look up, and Susan's eyes went wide as she saw Jason, panting heavily, as he started scanning the room frantically. His eyes met hers, and they both charged towards each other, ignoring the glares they got from everyone else at the noise they were making and the disruption they caused in their wake.

His arms wrapped around her tightly, as he hugged her close, and she could see the relief painted on his face as he just held her. She could feel his arms tense, his hands roaming up and down her back, as if making sure she was really there.

Slowly, he pulled away, looking her in the eyes. "I'm so sorry I wasn't here for you. Are you all right? When I heard on the news… we couldn't get away though… and then you weren't in the room they said you were…"

She silenced him quickly with a kiss, one that was furtive, yet deep. She held it briefly, before pulling away, not bothering to worry about the small tear trailing down her cheek. Her head returned to his shoulder, and she could feel the tension draining from his body. "I'm fine, I'm just fine."

His hand brushed a stray hair away from her face, and he smiled. He bent down slowly, kissing her again softly. Susan moaned slightly, as she could feel the relief pouring out of him.

"EWWWW! Cootie alert!"

Michael mouth just twisted in a grimace. "Could you two at least get a room if you are going to do that? Some of us are still trying to eat."

Susan laid her head briefly on Jason's shoulder, before turning to smirk at her brothers. "You're just upset you haven't found a girl that you could do this with."

Michael crossed his arms over his chest, glaring back. "Please, I could get a girl whenever I felt like it. There just aren't any that meet up to my exacting standards."

Susan stuck her tongue out at him, and was about to respond to that when she spotted Sharon Taylor, Jason's mother, just coming through the door, glaring somewhat angrily at her son. Susan didn't notice in the least though. "Mamma Taylor!"

The older woman quickly moved to embrace the young teen, before pausing to check her over. Ever since the death of Susan's parents, Jason's family had tried their best to help fill in when possible, particularly with Susan, considering how close she and their son were.

"I'm sorry it took us so long to get back dear. Are you sure you're all right, you're awfully pale?"

"I'm fine, I'm fine, I think it's just the lights in here or something." Susan did quickly note that both Jason and his mother looked just fine in the light, and began to wonder just a little bit herself.

"And you young man," Sharon turned to glare at her son, "can wait up when we tell you to, instead of barreling through the hallways like a wild animal."

Jason rolled his eyes, but made sure his head was lowered so that she couldn't see it. "Yes Mom."

Jason's dad came in a moment later, and after the full exchange of hugs, everyone sat down around the now quite crowded table, which simply gave Susan an excuse to sit in Jason's lap. Of course, once Sharon found out that the twins were still hungry, she gave them some money and sent them off. Satisfied that they were now occupied, she turned to look back at Michael and Susan. "Have you two heard anything about your house?"

Susan's eyes widened, as she realized she hadn't even thought of that. Fortunately, Michael had been awake for some time, and spoke up. "The damage isn't too bad. Mr. Thompson told me he had a crew out there fixing up the worst of it when he stopped by yesterday. It looks fine apparently, but there was some damage to the back area that he says should be fixed by tomorrow."

"Good, just remember if you need somewhere to stay, you can always stay with us for a few days, rather than go to some hotel. And Henry?"

Michael sank a bit into his seat, looking sullen, so Susan spoke up quickly. "There was some radiation, and it looks like he caught the worst of it. He's stabilized, but he… there have been some… changes."

"Changes?"

Susan could see the concerned looks on their faces, so she quickly moved to assure them. "Nothing bad, at least they don't think so. He's just gotten more… muscley."

Susan quickly explained the situation before Will and Wendell returned. The two adults nodded as they listened. When the twins returned, carrying as many sweets as they could afford of course, they changed the subject, trying to talk about lighter subjects. They had been talking for about thirty minutes before they were interrupted by a nurse.

"Scuse me, are you their guardians?"

Sharon shook her head. "No, just friends of the family."

The nurse nodded, looking at the two teens now. "I just came down to tell you your brother Henry is awake, and…"

The twins bolted from their chairs, and you could almost hear the smiles on their faces. A quick hand snagged their shirts though, halting them in their tracks.

Susan tried to smile, as they quite loudly protested the treatment. "Settle down guys, you'll get to see him." She turned quickly to the nurse, making sure she had a firm grip on both of them. "It is all right if he has visitors, isn't it?"

The nurse nodded, smiling at the feeble struggles of the two young kids. "Of course, but probably best to go one or two at a time, so he doesn't get too tired."

Susan nodded, turning to look over at Michael. "Keep an eye on these two, I'm going to go talk to Henry first."

Michael's face twisted in an almost look of disgust. "Why should I get stuck with them, I've been watching them for days now. I'm older, I should go see him first!"

Susan just glared back, the look in her eyes brooking no further argument. Michael slowly slid down further in his chair, arms crossed over his chest. Satisfied that his complaints were done, Susan turned and smiled back at Mrs. Taylor. "Do you think you can keep an eye on them for me, and bring them up in about thirty minutes?"

"Of course, dear. You go see how your brother is doing."

Taking Jason's hand, she left the cafeteria, ignoring Michael's protests about her boyfriend going and not him, heading back up to where Henry's room lay. The two teens were quiet, though the occasional squeeze of the hand told each of them all they needed. When they finally reached Henry's room, Susan froze briefly, and Jason stopped with her.

"Are you okay?"

Susan nodded numbly. "Yeah, I just… when I thought Henry might have been hurt more, maybe dying… I mean, we barely get along, but if he died… we would have been split up, and… and… I just couldn't take losing anyone else, I just can't lose anyone else I love."

Jason pulled her close, and gently kissed her on the forehead. He could feel her shaking slightly, and he just hugged her tighter. This was a side of her she never showed anyone else, especially since her parents had passed away months ago. She always felt she had to be the strong one, the one to hold everybody together. With everyone else, she could be rude and overbearing, even demanding. But when they were alone, she could let down her guard, and be the scared and frightened fifteen year old she was. The girl Jason had come to love, and would do anything to protect.

For five minutes, they just stood in the hallway, holding tight to one another, before Susan slowly pulled away, wiping the small tear away that trickled down her cheek. Jason just smiled, still holding tight to her shoulders. "You going to be okay?"

Susan sniffled briefly, before wiping her face completely and taking a deep breath. "Yeah, I'm good. Let's get in there and make sure the not so scrawny geek is all right."

Jason laughed at her attempt at humour. Taking her hand, he slowly pushed open the door, and was very pleased to see a smile on both Susan's and Henry's faces as they entered the room.

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Doctor Franklin was quite surprised to find Doctor Betty Director, head of Global Justice's science department, waiting for him in his office when he got back there. He knew how busy the woman was, with dozens of projects on the go, not to mention looking over and reviewing everyone else's projects. The fact that she was here did not bode well at all.

"Have a seat Doctor Franklin."

Doctor Elliot Franklin felt a bit nervous as he sat down on the opposite side of the desk he normally would have occupied. His superior didn't seem displeased, but she also didn't seem to be all that happy either. "Ma'am, I'm surprised…"

"I don't have time for much chit chat today, I have to get back to the lab in a half hour, then brief Director Matheson on recent events. First, what's the status on Henry Go?"

Elliot swallowed, before making his report. "Henry seems fine, both physically and mentally. His responses were good, and he showed no deleterious mental effects from the radiation as we have… witnessed in others who have been affected. No sign of any abilities yet, but based on the physiological changes, enhanced strength would be my best guess."

"And the others?"

"Nothing yet, beyond Susan's enhanced healing rate. She and Henry did receive the greatest dose, so it is entirely probable that they will simply manifest first. As for the others, I have no idea what to expect at this time."

Dr. Director nodded, appearing thoughtful as she processed the information. "Do you feel that they might pose a threat to themselves or others?"

Dr. Franklin vigorously shook his head. "No ma'am. Any initial effects might be a bit traumatic, but I don't think they pose a danger to anyone, especially not at this time." Elliot paused a moment, almost afraid to ask the next question. "Ma'am, you aren't thinking of recruiting them, are you? I mean, they are just children."

Dr. Director waved the concern away. "No, not at this time. Henry, if he manifests as you predict, could be a considerable asset to us, but he's the only guardian for the others. Tearing them apart would be reprehensible. I do think we need to monitor them, and keep a close eye on the situation, provide them with a moral compass as it were when they do manifest." She rose from her seat, staring down at the older man. "I want you to stay on this, stay involved with them. When they manifest, I want you to be the one they come to for help. Be their friend, make sure they trust you. We'll transfer you to this location permanently, at least for the foreseeable future. Continue your studies on the radiation, and how it affected them. They may be too young for recruitment right now, but that doesn't mean they won't be recruited in the future. Do you understand?"

Dr. Franklin could only nod slowly. "Yes ma'am, I understand."

"Good." Dr. Betty Director headed for the door, pausing briefly with her hand on the handle. "And Elliot… this is important. Don't mess this up."

Elliot Franklin could only feel relief when he heard the door close behind him. He rose unsteadily as he made his way to the water cooler, his hand shaking slightly as he reached for a glass. He took a moment to compose himself, before reaching a second time. Despite how civil the conversation would have seemed to most outsiders paying attention, he knew Dr. Director wasn't one to mess around, and he had heard stories about those who had failed to do their jobs properly. She was as hardcore as they came, and it was already rumoured that she'd be first in line to take command of Global Justice when Director Matheson stepped down. Not that he doubted her commitment to what GJ stood for, she'd do whatever it took if she thought it was the right thing to do. He just feared what would happen if she ever deemed him not the 'right thing' for the organization. That meant he'd do his job, even if he didn't completely agree with it, because it was the only thing he really could do.

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Author's Notes – Okay, this is on a completely different side note from this, but I wanted to provide some warning to the readers. In the near future, I will be working on a Kigo story. Yes, I know what you are thinking, but an idea came to me, and I just couldn't get rid of it. It might be a little while before I start it, but I already have the first 12 chapters plotted out, and it's driving me a bit nuts. Besides, I think it should make quite a few of my slash loving fans quite happy, considering the number of requests I've had to do one. I just thought I'd give everyone a heads up, just so I don't surprise anyone unintentionally. Now, let's see the PMs pour in regarding this little bit of news! lol


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